416: Chapter 416 Return to Azure Dragon Island

"Because you're helping me suppress the Divine Fire. You help me, I help you—isn't that how it should be?"

Palace Master Yun Shu said as if it were only natural.

"Besides, I also want to know what the Divine Hall has been up to all these years."

"You should know that the death of the Third Generation Empress is related to the Vermilion Bird Divine Hall."

Xiao Weiqing nodded; he had heard Yin Zong mention this before.

Palace Master Yun Shu continued, "I'll accompany you to Azure Dragon Island. If a fight breaks out, I'll definitely give it my all."

"If the Azure Dragon Divine Hall's strength isn't as great as imagined, can you accompany me to the Vermilion Bird Divine Hall?"

Xiao Weiqing thought about it. With his current strength, as long as a Star Lord didn't appear, it was unlikely he'd face a life-threatening situation. He nodded in agreement.

"I can."

"Good, it's a deal."

Palace Master Yun Shu reached out her fair, slender hand.

Xiao Weiqing reached out and shook it; just like before, it felt a bit cold.

"It's a deal."

When Xiao Weiqing tried to withdraw his hand, he didn't expect Palace Master Yun Shu to apply a slight pressure, keeping his palm in her grasp.

"This feels so comfortable. Let me hold it for a while."

Feeling Palace Master Yun Shu's icy palm, Xiao Weiqing's heart stirred, and a faint energy from the Great Sun Burning Heaven Flame seeped from his palm.

Palace Master Yun Shu absorbed it all, narrowing her eyes with a look of pure enjoyment.

...

The next day.

Four figures soared into the sky from Luo Jiang Academy, flying at high speed toward the southeast.

One hour later.

The azure sky was cloudless for ten thousand miles.

The sea stretched out boundlessly.

Suddenly.

Four figures appeared in formation.

They were Xie Zhiyuan, Dongfang Baichen, Xiao Weiqing, and Palace Master Yun Shu.

The group looked ahead as if waiting for something.

Splash, splash—

Two figures leapt out from beneath the sea and appeared before them, a man and a woman.

"Greetings, everyone."

"I presume you are Generals Li Kun and Xu Yanling," Dongfang Baichen said.

"We are."

"Generals, has there been any abnormality on Azure Dragon Island?"

General Li Kun said, "Since the various families brought back their younger disciples, there have been no other abnormalities on Azure Dragon Island."

"How many people are left on the island?"

"Approximately six hundred people."

"That many?"

Dongfang Baichen frowned.

According to previous estimates, the Divine Hall itself had at most ten people. Over the past century, the number of people adopted by the Azure Dragon Divine Hall was no more than a hundred.

Two months ago.

Great Summer had already leaked information to the various prefectures and families in advance. How could there still be over six hundred people?

Li Kun sighed and replied, "Members of some families not only failed to withdraw from Azure Dragon Island but instead sent many more in. Their strength all exceeds the Eighth Realm. There are even Powerhouses from other countries who have secretly entered the island."

Beside them, Xiao Weiqing raised an eyebrow. Things were getting interesting.

Great Summer had already laid its cards on the table, intending to move against Azure Dragon Island. Yet there were still those courting death by siding with the Azure Dragon Divine Hall. Such behavior was no different from treason.

As for the Powerhouses from other countries, Xiao Weiqing couldn't easily judge their motives.

"Understood."

"Xiao Weiqing, what do you think?" Dongfang Baichen turned and asked Xiao Weiqing.

Xiao Weiqing spoke slowly, his face devoid of expression. "My target is the Azure Dragon Divine Envoy. To me, everyone else is optional."

He didn't care how many people were inside. If they didn't interfere, they could stay; if they did, they would be removed.

"Then let's go. Everyone, be careful."

With that said.

Dongfang Baichen waved his hand, and a streak of silver light sliced through the air. A ripple rose in the space ahead, like a curtain of light being torn open. Through the rift, the group saw the scene inside.

It was a massive, winding mountain range, lying across the sky like a giant dragon. It was a magnificent sight.

"Go."

With the command given.

The four of them entered one after another.

Once they had entered, the spatial rift restored itself, and the area returned to tranquility.

"Yanling, notify the higher-ups. They've gone in."

"Understood."

...

Entering the space unique to Azure Dragon Island.

At a glance, mountains stretched into more mountains.

Nearly thirty kilometers long.

"What a fine place."

Xiao Weiqing remarked. Both Spiritual Qi and Universal Energy were visible to the naked eye.

Then.

A surging Mental Energy gushed from Xiao Weiqing's body, and everything from the Azure Dragon Academy at the dragon's tail to the Divine Hall at the dragon's head was clearly presented in his mind.

"They're all at the Divine Hall?"

Xiao Weiqing raised an eyebrow. "That saves some trouble."

Taking the lead, Xiao Weiqing transformed into a streak of light and flew toward the Azure Dragon Divine Hall.

Xie Zhiyuan, Dongfang Baichen, and Palace Master Yun Shu followed closely behind.

In front of the Azure Dragon Divine Hall.

The Azure Dragon Divine Envoy said to the hundreds of people behind him:

"Everyone, if you can help the Divine Hall through this crisis, the items in that side hall shall belong to you."

The Azure Dragon Divine Envoy pointed to the side, specifically at the side hall where the Innate Skills were kept.

"Furthermore, the Soul Cultivation Technique can also be shared with you all."

"Hahaha... Divine Envoy, say no more. We all awakened at the Azure Dragon Training Camp and have received the blessings of Azure Dragon Island. We are definitely not the kind of people to forget such kindness."

"Exactly. We've long heard that Dongfang Baichen's strength is the greatest on Planet Blue and is unfathomable. This is a perfect chance to see it for ourselves."

"Well said."

Many people spoke up, echoing the sentiment one after another.

"They're here."

The Powerhouses gazed toward the horizon as four black dots sped toward them.

In just over ten seconds.

Xiao Weiqing and the others had arrived above the crowd.

"Azure Dragon Divine Envoy, long time no see."

The moment Xiao Weiqing saw the Azure Dragon Divine Envoy, his lips curled into a grin, and the killing intent on his face was undisguised.

"It's you?!"

The Azure Dragon Divine Envoy was startled. Seeing Xiao Weiqing again was indeed a surprise, but what was more alarming was that he could not sense Xiao Weiqing's strength.

You see, even with Dongfang Baichen's strength, he had a rough idea. Although he was wary, he wasn't terrified.

But Xiao Weiqing was different; his strength was unfathomable.

It had been less than three short years.

What had happened to this youth?

For some reason, as the Azure Dragon Divine Envoy looked at Xiao Weiqing's youthful face, he thought of another person—one he could never forget: Dongfang Hao.

However.

The Azure Dragon Divine Envoy did not retreat, nor could he.

He slowly rose into the air, walking upward step by step. His bare feet stepped onto the air as if treading on a lake's surface, causing ripples to spread through the atmosphere.

Then.

Whoosh, whoosh—

Hundreds of Powerhouses took to the air, confronting the four of them.

"Kid, look at where you are. Do you think you have a right to speak here?"

Someone stepped forward to scold him.

"Dongfang Baichen, we don't want to get involved in the dispute between your Dongfang Family and the Divine Hall. Now that the Yao Race is eyeing Great Summer, why cause trouble at a time like this? A century ago, it was an indisputable fact that the Divine Hall helped Great Summer repel the Yao Beasts. Why commit such an ungrateful act?"

"Correct, Dongfang Baichen. Our enemy now is the Yao Race. The Azure Dragon Divine Hall has lived in seclusion for decades and hasn't done anything excessive. Why create unnecessary conflict?"

"Yes, that makes sense."

The crowd began to offer advice and dissuasion. If they could make Dongfang Baichen retreat without bloodshed, it would be for the best.

No one wanted a fight to break out.

Although they had numbers on their side and didn't fear Dongfang Baichen, the fact that he had guarded Jingdu Prefecture for over a decade meant his reputation was not for nothing.

Dongfang Baichen smiled. "Everyone, you seem to have misunderstood one thing."